70 



Mr. Rayward exhibited the pupae of Polyommatus bellargus, 

 from Folkestone larvae, and pointed out that they were 

 smaller than those of P. corydon. He stated that on the 

 seventh abdominal segment of the larva was a gland like 

 that on P. corydon, and that he had found ants in close 

 attendance upon the larva — in this species a black ant. In 

 nature he only saw one ant try to obtain the secretion from 

 the gland, but in captivity Formica flava eagerly sought the 

 gland, with immediate success. He did not think that the 

 ants were essential to the larvae, as last year he bred the 

 species from ova in captivity without any attendant ants. 

 In the discussion which followed, Dr. Chapman stated that 

 the whole genus appeared to possess these glands, but in the 

 case of L. bceticus and L. tclicanus, whose larvae he had 

 closely observed in Spain this year, although the ants were 

 commonly in close proximity to the larvae, they were not 

 noticed to touch them, but were only attentive to the 

 aphides, which were abundant. Some years ago he had been 

 able easily to find the larvae of Plebeius argus from the con- 

 spicuous groups of ants attendant upon each larva. In this 

 case the ants were undoubtedly most effectual in preventing 

 the attacks of ichneumons. 



Dr. Chapman exhibited the following insects, all taken 

 this spring, at S. Maxime, on the Mediterranean coast of 

 the S. of France : (i) Ophiodes lunaris, with masses attached 

 to its head, apparently not pollinia; (2) Polyommatus corydon, 

 specimens showing orange around the ocelli of the lower 

 wings, upper side, and a very small specimen, measuring 

 only 28 mm. ; they occurred where there was no chalk or 

 limestone ; (3) an unusually strongly-marked example of 

 Pararge megcera; (4) Arctia villica, with aberrant markings 

 on the hind wings ; (5) Pseudophia (Ophiodes) tirrhcsa, closely 

 allied to P. lunaris, both of which species belonged to a group 

 more in N. Africa and Asia Minor than in Europe; (6) Maras- 

 marcha fauna, a rare continental plume moth, described by 

 Milliere, very close to M . phceodactylus in general appearance 

 and habits ; the most easily-seen difference is the possession 

 of four dark dots on the inner margin of the fore wing ; 

 (7) a very small ? example of Colias edusa, measuring only 

 37 mm. (1 in. 5 lines). 



Mr. Sich reported that Aglais urticce larvae had been very 

 common at Chiswick this year, and that the imagines were 

 now emerging in numbers. It was suggested that this was 

 a second brood, as larvae had been noted, nearly full-grown, 

 elsewhere in mid-June. 



